Write a commentA group that has been fundraising for community based projects since April last is planning to set themselves up as a charity.
Caring Coins was started in the first pandemic lockdown on 6 April 2020 by Kerrie Havern and Yvonne Campbell and the pair are now inviting interested people to their inaugural meeting on Monday 24 May at 7pm.
Due to restrictions the meeting will be held via Zoom and if you would like to register your attendance please contact Cathy McMahon (Confederation of Community Groups) for a link at cmcmahon@ccgnewrycommunity.org
Their first fundraiser last year was to buy things for the A&E dept which had been transferred to Craigavon to boost their mental health as they faced the pandemic head on and had to isolate away from family and loved ones. As Kerrie Havern says "We bought sanitary items, biscuits, 2 coffee machines, coffee, alexa, alexa dot, shampoo, conditioner, deodorants, water, every staff member got a blue and white bath bomb and box of heroes. All things they were forbid from bringing into the hospital."
Since then they have delivered 140 "Caring for our carers" packs to DHH for staff to take home as a show of appreciation and have raised the money to do this through raffles.
The group are currently fundraising to send caring for our carers packs to the 32 porters, 90 domestic staff and 105 HDU levels 3 staff. Kerrie adds "We assisted the Supporting Newry and Mourne charities and other familes, individuals and local charities in their Christmas appeals by doing a door to door coin collection which raised over £24,000. Since then we have raised €5,400 for the Fight-For-Alfie charity by doing a clothes collection and are currently finishing up a clothes collection for roads ahead support group and road safe NI.
"Our main focus is mental health and supporting local individuals, existing charities, clubs and community groups in the Newry, Mourne, down and South Armagh areas as we face the post pandemic crisis. Our fundraising will always be for locally based needs."
They host fundraisers on their Facebook page at WWW.FACEBOOK.COM and people can also donate through PayPal to caringcoins@gmail.com
